00:00There's a lot changing across Merseyside from housing and community facilities to transport and the way local spaces are managed.
00:08Here's a look at five developments and the decisions affecting the region.
00:12First, a major redevelopment of the former Grafton Rooms on West Derby Road in Kensington has been formally approved by
00:18Liverpool City Council.
00:19The site next to the Olympia has been vacant and derelict for more than 15 years.
00:23Plans submitted by Equin's Regeneration would see much of the former venue demolished and replaced with a six-storey block
00:30containing 90 apartments.
00:32The scheme includes 47 one-bedroom and 43 two-bedroom rent-to-buy homes.
00:38Moving on to Wirral, Airby Library is set to reopen after being closed since 2022.
00:43The building's been transferred to local charity Pioneer People through a successful community asset transfer.
00:49The charity plans to reopen it as a mixed-use community facility, combining a library with space for local groups
00:55and a second-hand shop to help fund the site.
00:58Pioneer People's already taken on Pensby Library, which reopened in 2024.
01:03Its leader, Mark Johnston, said the Airby site should be open by spring.
01:08Meanwhile, there's a challenge to Mersey Rail's decision to ban non-folding e-bikes across its network from January.
01:15Cycling UK, supported by the Cyclists' Offence Fund, says the policy could have a major impact on people who rely
01:24on e-bikes for independence, including some disabled passengers.
01:29Mersey Rail says the decision follows a detailed safety review and will cover stations, car parks, cycle storage facilities and
01:37trains.
01:38The operator says the rest of 2026 will focus on education and awareness before enforcement begins.
01:45From January, passengers with banned items could be refused entry or asked to leave under railway bylaws.
01:53Elsewhere, ride-hailing company Bolt has expanded into private car journeys in Liverpool through its Bolt Flex service.
02:00Bolt says drivers using the platform will have to comply with Liverpool City Council's taxi policies.
02:05The company says passengers and drivers can propose and agree a fare, while the service operates through the existing Bolt
02:12app.
02:12The expansion follows the company's launch of 2,000 e-scooters in Liverpool and its introduction of solar-assisted shared
02:19e-bikes.
02:20The company says the new service is intended to complement its Microbility offer, giving users different options depending on their
02:27journey and circumstances.
02:30And finally, a pile of waste wood with protruding nails has been dumped on the Wallasey Embankment.
02:35Councillor Ian Lewis says the material presents a danger to people and pets and is asking the council to use
02:40available evidence to identify those responsible.
02:44The government has proposed stronger powers for councils, including conditional cautions requiring offenders to carry up to 20 hours of
02:50unpaid clean-up work and potentially pay the costs of clearing their waste.
02:54And that is your round-up of the latest developments across the region.
